


Rover

by DaisyFairy



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff, Inheritance, M/M, Pets, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 20:01:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10974342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaisyFairy/pseuds/DaisyFairy
Summary: A client leaves a pet to Sherlock in his will but Sherlock is wary of taking on the responsibility by himself. Who else would he ask to help but his friendly live-in blogger/doctor/soldier/best friend.





	Rover

“John?”

“Hmm.” John says barely looking up from his book.

“I got a letter from Mr Bradshaw's solicitor.”

“Hmm. Who?”

“ You remember, last year, we found his late wife’s necklace that was stolen by the gardener.”

“Oh! Yeah. Ok, what does his solicitor want?”

“Mr Bradshaw passed away last week, heart failure. He has left me something in his will.”

“Ah, that's a shame, he was a nice old boy. What's he left you?”

“His pet, Rover, age 15. I, I’m not sure John. It's a lot of responsibility, looking after a pet, taking on his welfare for the rest of his life.”

John smiles at him, “I’ll help if you want.”

“Really? You mean it? You'd take on that responsibility with me?”

“Of course I will. He was a lovely man, we can do this for him.”

Sherlock smiles broadly, looking incredibly happy, and in response John finds himself returning the smile. If taking on joint care of an elderly dog will please Sherlock this much John is more than happy to do it.

Sherlock looks back down and reads the letter in his hand again.

“Rover already has all the equipment we will need, and he is ready to collect whenever we are ready. Shall we call and go this afternoon?”

John can barely believe Sherlock’s eagerness, but then he always seems very taken with any dogs they come across so he supposes it makes sense.

“OK. That sounds great. You call and we can go after lunch.”

\---------

A few hours later John and Sherlock are in the solicitors office.

“So, if you just sign here...” Mr Wainwright indicates the part of the form with an X marked next to it, “Mr Bradshaw was very concerned about Rover’s welfare, this is just to say that you have collected him and that you will be responsible for his care.” Sherlock nods and Mr Bradshaw stands up and walks towards the door. “I'll go and get Rover. He's been with us here for the last few days, he's really no trouble at all.”

Sherlock signs on the dotted line as the solicitor leaves the office, then passes the form to John for his signature.

“I'm not sure if we both need to sign it.” As John says this Sherlock's face drops so he continues “But I suppose if we are doing this together I might as well.”

John pauses briefly, pen in hand. This feels important, an official promise to stay in Sherlock's life for the next few years, for the rest of Rover's life. He glances up and Sherlock looks so happy that John feels himself smile in response, where else was he planning to be anyway if not by Sherlock's side? He grins as he signs and then puts the pen down with a flourish. 

The office door opens and Mr Wainwright walks in carrying what is most definitely not a dog. John blinks as he registers that what Mr Wainwright is carrying is, in actual fact, a tortoise.

“That's a tortoise!” John blurts out, then frowns at himself for making the most pointless statement possible.

“Yes, this is Rover.” Mr Wainwright says looking slightly confused.

Sherlock turns to John, “What were you expecting?”

John stammers “I, I thought, Rover, I thought he was a dog.”

“We saw Mr Bradshaw preparing Rover's food when we were there last year. What sort of dog eats cabbage, cucumber and apple?”

John casts his mind back but there is a total blank. He shakes his head, “I don’t remember. How, how long do tortoises live?”

“A hundred years, sometimes up to one hundred and fifty.” Mr Wainwright supplies, looking amused at this confusion.

Sherlock looks resigned as he asks “Is that a problem John?”

John considers for a beat. Then realises that no, it really isn't. He breaks into a smile and stands to take Rover from the solicitor. “Looks like the three of us are going to be together a very long time.”

“I'll just go and fetch his things.” Mr Wainwright says backing out of the door.

“Are you sure John? If you...”

John cuts him off “No. It's fine.” He looks down at the form on the desk, admiring the way that their signatures look together, and then at the face of the man that he shares his life with, “I think another hundred years together sounds perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, you know that feeling when you are trying to finish a fic and then your brain says "But what if they got a tortoise??" and then that is all you can think about.
> 
> Yeah, that's what happened.
> 
> If you liked it please leave me kudos, it makes me happy :-) (and comments are even better, hint, hint).


End file.
